Chapter Fifteen

Already in the car, Ryan looking concerned asked Marissa, "Is everything, alright?"

Marissa flipped her head, stunned, and replied, "What do you think," She paused, "How are we going to tell Seth?"

"We're not." Ryan said quickly. He knew what this would do, firstly, to Seth. He didn't want him to breakdown. He carefully looked at Marissa's determined eyes, "We're not going to tell… right?" Ryan tried to convince her. It wasn't worth breaking more then just Seth's and Summer's newly discovered friendship over- Ryan was also positive that when told, Summer would never speak to them again.

"So Seth is just going to live a lie? A fantasy that was never? He loves her, and what would break his heart more, is not knowing." Marissa, the typical girl, would already blabber it out to Seth.

"What he doesn't know will not hurt him." Ryan pressed, and looked into Marissa's eyes that were troubled with concern. "Marissa, you can't tell him. He'll break down."

"The sooner we tell him, the longer he'll have to get over it. How can you lie to your best friend, Ryan?" Marissa questioned, slightly confused by the issue.

"I'm not lying. I'm not telling the whole truth either. If he asks, I'll tell him. If not, I will not tell him." Ryan replied.

"You're impossible." Marissa shook her head with frustration. Summer was Marissa's best friend, and Summer's little fling didn't concern her at all, as Seth and Summer weren't particularly her business. Either ways, Marissa cared about Seth, and Summer's dignity.

"Marissa, don't get frustrated. It's none of your business, what Summer does." Ryan went to touch Marissa's hand.

"Do not touch me, Ryan." Marissa snapped, constantly thinking about the eventful evening. "How is it not my business? How the f uck is it not YOUR business? You're just going to let Summer tear Seth away? You're just going to let this slip?"

"Actually, that's what I was planning to do." Ryan admitted.

"Well, apparently I didn't know you were an insensitive a ss. Take me home, Ryan. Or I'll walk." Marissa said angrily. Ryan obediently turned on the engine, and pulled out of Summer's driveway. Minutes later, Marissa slammed the door of Ryan's car. Ryan, unable to chase, or even walk after Marissa, stayed in the car as immobile as a piece of gum stuck to his shoe. After minutes of contemplation, Ryan crashed his fist onto the car seat.

"Damnit!" Ryan shrieked under his nose, driving to the Cohen's house. When Ryan entered the house, Seth greeted him obliviously.

"Hey, man. Where were you, with," Seth paused, and grinned, "Marissa?" Seth said in a slightly quieter, almost singsong voice.

"Out." Ryan answered grumpily, barely glancing Seth in the eyes. Seth noticed Ryan was angry, and decided to lay off.

"When you're finally out of your box, let me know what it was like. I thought about it, and I actually kinda slightly want to know the gruesome details, Ryan." Seth grinned childishly, raising his eyebrows.

"Shut up, Seth." Ryan hissed, going out back to enter the pool house. Seth's face turned from completely giddy, to extremely hurt, however Ryan was too angry to notice. Seth's eyes drooped, and Seth's mouth, showing utter shock, slightly dropped. Seth sighed, watching Ryan walk away crudely.

Ryan opened the doors wildly, and he hovered toward his bed. Upon arrival, Ryan flung himself face first towards the nearest pillow. When the pillow was completely quilting his face, he let out a manly yell of anger. After it was out of his system, Ryan heard a soft knock on the door.

"What do you want, Seth?" Ryan asked expecting Seth at the door- to his knowledge, there came Seth, his head dropped like a puppy.

"You're never this mad," Seth stuttered, "I want to know if everything is alright." Despite Ryan's rudeness, Seth was still ready to fork over a shoulder to cry on.

"What do you think?" Ryan asked, raising his body from the bed.

"Well I know something is obviously wrong. I'm not as stupid as Summer says I am," Seth grinned, and sighed after saying Summer's name. Ryan almost cried, seeing how much Seth loves Summer, and how badly Summer treats him in return. "So I want to know what's going on." Seth continued.

"Me and Marissa had this fight," Ryan paused, seeing that Seth was genuinely interested in his problems. "And that's the bulk of it." Ryan tried to cover it up.

"Is that it? Are you sure?" Seth said hesitantly.

"Well," Ryan paused, thinking if he should tell Seth or not, "Yep." He said however.

"Ryan," Seth's voice turned tenser. "I know when you lie."

Ryan bit his lip, "I'm not lying to you Seth." Seth stood up and laughed out loud.

"And you do it right into my damn eyes too. You're not the only one that likes to lie to me, are you?" Seth's outburst worried Ryan. "Marissa called me, Ryan. I know about Summer. I can't believe you would lie to me. LIE to me. I'm your, what, best friend? Does that not mean anything to you? Or were you just going to pretend it didn't happen?" Seth said in a voice quivering with anger and uncertainty.

"Seth- you weren't supposed to find out. THIS is why you weren't supposed to find out." Ryan raised his voice minimally, to get his message through to Seth, "You're freaking out. You're breaking down. Don't. She's only a girl. She's only Summer." Ryan said convincingly.

"You don't understand, you just do not understand, Ryan. How would you feel if Marissa went and CHEATED on you with, like Luke? Alex?" Seth said blurting out things as seconds passed by.

"Right now, I couldn't care less about Marissa Cooper." Ryan blurted out just as fast.

"That's nice Ryan. Too bad she's outside the door, listening to your reaction. But nevertheless, she's probably gone right now, because of your stupidity." Seth commented. Marissa entered the pool house, sadness blanketing her eyes.

"Actually, Seth I'm still here." Marissa squeaked silently, her eyes trailing down the ground. Her hands hung at her sides, and she looked as if she were to cry. "I'm sorry you feel that way, Ryan." Marissa sniffled quietly, to hide her emotions and reveal her fortitude.

"You weren't supposed to hear that." Ryan said to his defence.

"Just like I wasn't supposed to know about Summer and Zack, right Ryan?" Seth quickly intervened.

"I can't take this right now. I gotta leave. I gotta leave this place or I'll go crazy." Ryan said angrily, grabbing his wallet, car keys and a coat.

"Ryan!" Marissa called desperately, as she saw Ryan fly through the door. She didn't bother to chase him, neither did Seth apparently. After Ryan was well out the door, tears started to drift down Marissa's face. Seth went to hug her, as to comfort her. "What are we going to do? We don't know where he is… anything." Marissa pulled away from Seth, and started to stare at him carefully. Slowly, but gradually, she started to pull her face closer to his. Seth, completely confused, reacted fast.

"What are you doing Marissa?" Seth asked, taking a step back, so he could be in a talkable distance away from the girl. Marissa smacked her head, and started to cry a little harder.

She gulped before saying, "I don't even know, Seth." Marissa closed her eyes, so she wouldn't have to face Seth's confused face, "Oh my God, I'm such a whore. My, probably now, ex-boyfriend has left, somewhere… I don't even know- THEN I try and kiss his best friend?" Marissa buried her face in her hands, sobbing quite loudly, and moaning in depression.

"Marissa, I don't have it easy either. Ryan's my best friend- he's gone. Summer was supposed to be my girlfriend- she goes and makes out with Zack. You have it easier- you can cry, I can't." Seth confessed, hurt, envying the fact that Marissa could let her emotions escape through each salty tear that streaked her face.

"Why can't you cry?" Marissa whispered, looking at Seth concerned.

"Boys don't cry." Seth replied emotionlessly.